An eclectic mix
of chores.

Sweeping,
vacuuming.

Dusting,
sorting.

Deciding the
fate of stuff

acquired
decades ago.

Overthink
every decision.

second guess self
multiple times.

What to keep,
donate, repurpose.

Clear the dust.
brooms, mops.

Cleaners in bottles,
spray cans, buckets.

Paper towels v rags
v newspapers.

What to keep,
discard, donate.

Lines blurred
by sentiments.

Maybe this jacket
fashionable next year.

What to do
when confronted

by past and present
while contemplating

future fates
of stuff packaged

in faded
wrapping paper

from back in day
that happened

a bunch of
yesterdays ago.

 

Janet Cormier is a painter, writes prose and poetry, and performs comedy. Janet prefers different and original over pretty. She loves collecting stuff, but cleaning not so much. Janet also talks to strangers. A lot. Her column appears weekly on Oddball Magazine.